Taunton economic director urges Lakeville to build developer pipeline; committee sets survey and blight review

Jay Patikos, economic and community development director for the City of Taunton, told the Town of Lakeville Economic Development Committee on Aug. 11 that targeted outreach, a single local developer champion and public community forums helped Taunton break through long-running local resistance and attract new projects.

Patikos spoke during a guest presentation at the committee's meeting and described tools and tactics Lakeville officials could use, including active outreach to national and regional retail/restaurant real-estate teams, a subscription commercial-leads service he uses, more visible community engagement and a small set of financial tools such as tax-increment financing (TIF) or grant packaging where available. "You need 1 person, 1 developer to believe in it," Patikos said of starting redevelopment on large, blighted parcels.

The presentation came as committee members discussed local constraints that complicate business attraction, notably limited municipal water and sewer infrastructure along Route 105 and the strip the committee repeatedly described as "blighted." Patikos acknowledged the utility limits but said some projects build private wastewater systems or package infrastructure costs into deals. He recommended inventorying town-owned and privately held sites, identifying a single outreach point and using community forums so residents hear proposals and questions before matters reach town meeting.

Patikos described Taunton examples he said Lakeville could study: a multi-building redevelopment on a former mall site…